Best dog for a yacht?

[sailorbaz]

We have an American Cocker Spaniel and a Westie. They have both been sailing since 3 months old and love it. The American Cocker we keep trimmed short like an English Cocker - not with the long side 'curtains' like on show dogs! We have life jackets for both with a loop on top which allows them to be fished out of the water with the boathook. I don't agree with the comment about Westies being thick - ours (female) is more intelligent than the spaniel (male).
Sailorbaz

 

[whisper]

Well done for leaving the dog at home. If they were meant to go boating they'd have rubber paws and a big fringe to shade their eyes.

 

[Sea_dreamer]

The conflict here is that the consensus (apart from those who say don't even think about it) is that a small dog is best. However I think that SWMBO would rather have a larger dog - she was brought up with, and I was introduced to, the most enomous and intelligent German Shepherd.

I think I will agree to the request for a guinea pig, and suppress all talk of a dog... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

john

 

[Peppermint]

Re: Guinea pigs a bit of a no no...

they get sea sick.

Hamsters are pretty good and all that wheel spinning must be worth a few amps to the more technical owner.

 

[claymore]

Ah - a right handed paddler judging by the action

 

[Ships_Cat]

Guinea Pigs get their tails jambed in winches, clutches and things. Regular nuisance they are.

John

 

[BrendanS]

It's worth keeping them tho, as they make quite a tasty snack.

 

[Ben_e_Toe]

I'd second the last post. We took our Labrador on a week's charter at six months old! She was a little nervous about getting into the tender, but by the end of the week she leapt on and off the boat. Pee's 'n' poo's were initially a problem, although she decided to use the lid of the anchor locker as her spot - easy to chuck a bucket over.

Now she's older, she just won't pee or poo on the boat, which is fine for trips up to about eight hours - wish I had that control! Problem is, like many dogs, she will stop drinking on passage so that she doesn't need to go, so we have to keep wetting our hands and getting her to lick them to stop her getting dehydrated. Other than that, she wears a Crewsaver lifejacket (see avatar) and happily sleeps on the leeward side of the cockpit even when heeled right over!

 

[Melody]

We had to do a 'dog overboard' for real two years ago when one of our Labs decided to take herself ashore to do what a dog has to do. She jumped off the bows and was busily swimming towards the distant hills (2+ miles away). She'd probably have made it easily as they swim so well.
We turned around, turned off the engine and launched the dinghy for a rescue and run ashore mission.
Labs are great on board but you must train them not to go in unless told. This is the first and only time we've had a problem.
By only complaint about canines afloat is that the dog hairs are hell to clean up!

 

[l'escargot]

Something that doesn't like swimming - wet dogs on boats are worse than wet people or wet clothes.
One that you can lift easily and likes being carried - to get into the dinghy or over a raft.
A bitch - their bladder control is far better.
A small one - their bladders, bowels and stomaches have less capacity and all will be emptied on the boat at some time (hopefully not simultaneously!)